Population biology, social behavior and communication in whales and dolphins

• Published in: Trends in Ecology & Evolution
• Main Author: Tyack, Peter
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1986
• Subjects: baleen whales; toothed whales
• Online Access: https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/population-biology-social-behavior-and-communication-in-whales-and-dolphins(3d06e3a4-c16e-4f68-845b-594229b168a6).html; https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-5347(86)90042-X; http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0022848818&partnerID=8YFLogxK

The baleen whales differ from the toothed whales and dolphins in life history and in social organization. Even though they grow to a larger size, young baleen whales tend to develop more rapidly than dolphins and toothed whales. Except for the mother-calf bond, most groups of baleen whales are short-lived, lasting only for hours, and individual-specific associations appear to be exceptions to the norm. Most toothed whales live in more structured groups, in which young animals have a long period of dependency and social learning. The communication signals described for different cetacean species have functions suited to the interactions that predominate in their societies.